Product Details
This amazing circuit took on a life of its own. It leaped from the pages of the 555 Timer IC Circuits Engineer's Mini-Notebook and became the well - known Atari Punk Console. It's super - cool as it can create sounds just like the classic Atari console games from the 1980s. It offers a fun audio - based project and is a great way to start learning about digital circuitry, feedback, and oscillators. Forrest M. Mims III is a big name in the electronics field. His engaging texts have introduced millions to electronics. I've brought three of his hand - drawn circuit projects to life with a carefully designed series of detailed boards. These Circuit Classics make an ideal gift for beginners, expert tinkerers, or just a cool item for your desk. The kit includes a Stepped Tone Generator PCB, an Alcohol Prep Pad, a Battery Clip, a 556 Integrated Circuit, a 1kΩ Resistor, two 1MΩ Potentiometers, a 5kΩ Potentiometer, a 10μF Capacitor, a 0.01μF Capacitor, a 0.1μF Capacitor, a Speaker, a Black Alligator Clip, a Red Alligator Clip, four Rubber Feet, and a Wooden Stand. You'll need a soldering iron and solder to assemble the kit. You can use a 'third hands' or the wooden stand to hold the board while soldering. Batteries aren't in the kit. You can use alligator clips or assemble the SMT Battery Clip and use a 3V 2032 coin cell battery or two 3V 2016s for a 6V stack. When assembling, start with the shortest components like the 556 chip or 1k resistor. Use the wooden stand to hold the board at a good angle. After inserting the resistor, bend the leads. Be careful when inserting the 556 chip and align the notch. Solder the #1 and #8 pins first. Then insert and solder the speaker, capacitors, and potentiometers. Finally, turn the PCB over and solder the SMT battery clip. You can clean the solder flux with the alcohol pad and attach the rubber feet either on the board or the stand. To test, find the 'volume' potentiometer. Adjust the others to see their effects. For more loudness, use a 6V battery stack or a 9V battery. You can also use an oscilloscope to understand the circuit better. Note that it has small parts, so it's not suitable for kids under 12. All inquiries and support requests will be answered within 72 hours.
Let's start with how to use this awesome Stepped Tone Generator. First, you need to assemble the kit. Gather a soldering iron and solder, as these are the tools you'll need. You can use the wooden stand to hold the board at a nice angle while you work. Start by inserting the shortest components like the 556 chip and the 1k resistor. After putting in the resistor, bend the leads so it stays in place. When inserting the 556 chip, make sure to align the notch at the top of the chip with the notch on the board. Solder the #1 and #8 pins first to hold the chip in place, then solder the rest of the legs one by one. Next, insert and solder the speaker, followed by the capacitors and potentiometers. Finally, turn the PCB over and solder the SMT battery clip. Now for power, you can use alligator clips to connect a battery or power supply of your choice. Or, if you assemble the SMT Battery Clip, you can use a 3V 2032 coin cell battery or two 3V 2016s to make a 6V stack. When testing, find out which of the 3 potentiometers is the 'volume' knob. Turn it to maximum and then adjust the other two to see what they do. If you want the circuit to be louder, you can use a 6V battery stack or a 9V battery connected via alligator clips. As for maintenance, you can use the alcohol prep pad to clean the solder flux a bit. You can also attach the rubber feet either on the circuit board to give it some grip when laying flat or on the bottom of the wooden stand for long - term display. But here's an important note: this product has small parts, so it's not suitable for children younger than 12. If you have any questions or need support, just send an inquiry, and it'll be answered within 72 hours.
